SUCCESS!
The day following the launch of our Society Roman pottery was identified
from a garden in the village. The first such find in the area. Come along
to see it together with other garden finds at the next meeting on Thursday
24 November at 7.30pm in the Village Hall.

Peter would like to share
what he has discovered about Westbury’s glow-worms.If you have seen them this year and have not told him please do so
ASAP so that he can include them on the map of sites.He would like to show some butterfly photos to illustrate the
butterfly year in a Westbury Garden he spoke about last time.He hopes to have a recording sheet for those who would like to
share in a garden butterfly inventory for next year.He would like people to take away a first draft of his Swallow,
Swift and House Martin Inventory sheet so that he can remove the problems
before the final and useful draft.Has
anyone got photographs of interesting birds, butterflies, insects or other
natural phenomena that we could share.If they are in digital format it should be easy and if not we need
to transfer to digital so that they can be shown on a computer projector.Please telephone (870640) so that any photos can be put together.

Thursday
26 January.

SOMERSET HISTORY ON FILM
7.30 – 9.30pm Westbury Village HallA two hour show of
Somerset films dating from around the 1930s and later will be shown. These
will evoke memories and provide some surprises about Somerset life. The
range of material available increases as more films are discovered.

Trilith
are asking local people to help them find movie films about Somerset -
amateur and professional - by asking their friends, by enquiring in their
communities and looking in their attics, so that they can ensure as many
movie records as possible are preserved
under safe conditions. Trilith
is particularly concerned to find films from around the Mendip Hills. They
make high quality video copies that, with the
permission of the owners, canbe seen
again without risk to the originals and ensure that the owners have copies
they can use themselves.

Although
a rich and fascinating record, ciné film is vulnerable and at risk. Many
local film collections are hidden away in lofts and cupboards. Films can
be worn out and damaged by being projected too often. Some older 35mm
(cinema gauge) films can decompose and become a fire risk.

Trilith
is a registered charity. It is based on the Dorset/Somerset/Wiltshire
border and was set up in 1984 to make television and video programmes
about rural subjects and social concerns. Much of its work is for and
about country people and local communities. It also works closely with
County Record Offices, Somerset Film & Video, the South West Film and
Television Archive and The National Film & Television Archive.

The
£4.00 entrance fee includes a cup of coffee or tea.

Thursday 23
February

We
have asked local expert Chris Sperring to come & talk about owls, but
this has yet to be confirmed.

FUTURE PLANS

We have provisionally
booked the Village Hall for two further evenings – 30 March & 27
April. Put them in your diary.

Thursday
22 June an exploration of Westbury
church. A short talk by Jerry Sampson, Conservation Architect to Caroe
& Partners, on the 18th century game of “Fives” played
around the west tower and a tour of architectural evidence of the
church’s history. Tony Nott hopes to come along to talk about Westbury
vicars and we are working on a special opportunity to climb the tower to
contribute to church funds.

Thursday
27 July, a glow-worm count organised
by Peter Bright (870640) to cover all the sites we know about and maybe
find some more.People who
want to be involved please tell me and I will organise groups to go off in
different directions.Glow-worm
photographers would be particularly welcome.Times are likely to be 9.30pm until 11.00pm.Male
glow-worms apparently don’t like the rain!

We will launch the
“Garden Pots & Things” project, so keep your eyes open while
digging your garden over the winter and in the spring! We will also
introduce the January evening of old Somerset movies as well as ideas
about copying and preserving old 35mm, 16mm, 9.5mm and 8mm movie film,
both amateur and professional. The BBC, as part of their West News, have
been showing old film from around the region.It is said to be available on their website.

We should have some
discussion of a possible structure for the future of the Society.We might think about being as creative as possible for the next
year and then having a review of the way forward in 12 months time.